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Space 1
10:11:02 PM Josie: Right! 10:11:24 PM Josie: Here we go. 10:14:30 PM Josie: In an effort to overcome his shady past as an assassin, Coil retired from the business, purchased a used ship, a 3100 Skybuster-class ship known for its maneuverability. Though it's also fairly fast and is quite capable of in-atmosphere landings, the ship's native weapon systems aren't much to speak of, and it would be fairly unlikely to prevail in a firefight without consideration of tactics. 10:16:23 PM Josie: The ship does require two people to run it, but, being as how Coil's jobs often require more people, up until recently he'd had a crew of three. Two of them, however-- a nice, competent married couple--have just retired, and so Coil has been left with just one crew member--his engineer. 10:17:56 PM Josie: Coil has been working with said engineer for at least a year or two. His name is Vir, and he's a genetically-augmented human. Hundreds of years ago, his planet was colonized by people who had augmented themselves for that purpose, and because the planet was entirely composed of oceans, they augmented themselves to live in those conditions. 10:18:59 PM Josie: Vir is an exceptional engineer, and has helped keep your ship running with very little in the way of equipment, though he does have a bad habit of using whatever's available to fix what needs fixing--no pots and pans or metal objects are really safe from the welding torch. 10:20:54 PM Josie: He is, however, not really a man of action. Though Coil has never seen them, Vir's medical records are clear--he has webbed feet that aren't suitable for much walking, much less running, and he also breathes through gills rather than lungs. To enable him to breathe standard environmental air, he wears a heavy, ornate torc around his neck, and if it ever came off he would drown in the air. 10:21:00 PM Josie: ((Ah, the Screaming Family again.)) 10:21:37 PM Coil: ((joy!)) 10:22:00 PM Josie: Vir doesn't even carry a gun, usually, and he's a terrible shot. He does carry a weapon traditional among his people--a curved knife--but you've never seen him actually use it. 10:23:17 PM Josie: He doesn't talk about his past, or his people, and he certainly never speaks about his physical condition. However, given that he seems to premeditate on every single movement, Coil probably suspects that it's painful for him to even walk at all. For the first few months he took no pay in order to be allowed a tank of water in his quarters; Coil has never seen him using it. 10:24:10 PM Coil: ((How is Vir pronounced? Ver or Veer?)) 10:24:19 PM Josie: ((The latter.)) 10:25:10 PM Josie: Coil's ship, the Argent, isn't especially passenger-friendly, but there are rooms for 8 people on board, assuming no one wants to share rooms, and there's also enough space for small cargo. You're never going to fit a herd of cattle in there, but by stacking and securing things properly, there's enough room for quite a bit of stuff. 10:25:41 PM Josie: However, if you're going to be doing any cargo runs you're likely going to need a few more people just to move things around in a timely manner. 10:26:59 PM | Edited 10:27:07 PM Coil: ((Coil keeps his past secret, me thinks.)) 10:28:28 PM Josie: And things do need to be moved from place to place. It's a big universe out there, populated by a variety of organisms. All the humanoids--bipeds with two arms and two legs--are genetically augmented humans. Some can see in the dark, others have tails, long ears or extra fingers. Humans and their augments have been seeded across dozens, hundreds of planets, and there's incredible diversity in culture and biology--augmentation has led even to insectoid and plantoid humans. 10:31:08 PM Josie: There are also intelligent alien species out there, but none of them resemble humans in any degree. One species looks more like butterflies (they even call themselves that in the vernacular) and they're timid, gentle people who were more or less taken over by the human species because they didn't really say no. They aren't mind-readers, but their ability to read people (even of other species) makes them seem like they are. 10:32:10 PM Josie: There are some even weirder ones out there, too, but again, nothing resembling humans in the slightest. 10:32:50 PM Josie: However, if you see a giant spider wandering around in a space station it's a much better idea to ask him if he's looking for the restroom than to blast him. 10:35:17 PM Josie: Technology has continued to progress. Space travel is easy, but it does take fuel, which is why Coil needs to continue to work and can't simply sit on a nest egg. A translation engine enables communication between the humans as well as between the different species, and medically, the cultures have cooperated enough that there's good information on most known species. 10:37:31 PM Josie: One important innovation is the development of the Arts. The first alien species humans met as they began to colonize beyond their own solar system could do miraculous things, things that seemed like magic, with the "elements." Not the scientific elements, but the granular elements the earliest scientists once believed in--earth, air, water and fire. 10:38:44 PM Josie: The humans believed this gift was specific to the aliens, but were soon gently corrected--some humans could do it too, if they took the time to practice, though not all had the gift, and even those who did, could only practice in one of the four areas. 10:39:06 PM Josie: Which species taught the humans has been lost in time. 10:40:53 PM Josie: Partly, that's due to politics. Over time, various colonies became allies, as did various groups of aliens, and now most of the governing of known space is done by the Coalition, a republic of sorts that is controlled by a massive voting body as well as a federal branch charged with getting things done. 10:41:51 PM Josie: The Coalition is a beaurocratic nightmare, and they're far from enjoyable to work with. There are a few groups opposing them, but they mainly do so through trade sanctions and off-the-books piracy, because it's not worth going up against the Coalition's military might. 10:42:04 PM Josie: It's also not worth going up against their beaurocracy. 10:42:29 PM Coil: ((Picturing the Central Bureacracy from Futurama.)) 10:44:26 PM Josie: In order to gain a license to do the kinds of jobs Coil does, he had also to make certain concessions to the Coalition--namely, that he will take independent contracting jobs from them whenever they require it. They do pay for these jobs, and statutorily, they do have to pay at the going rate, so he won't be getting stiffed, but he may feel a certain reluctance to work with the government that technically, wants him for dozens of murders. 10:45:24 PM Coil: ((Awkward!)) 10:45:29 PM Josie: Very awkward. 10:47:33 PM Josie: Coil is on his way to one of those very-awkward assignments right now. This time it happens to be a simple passenger run--a Captain Lark and four other unspecified passengers need to be transported from one of the Inner Worlds to a mid-range space station that seems to be located between anything important and anything else important. 10:48:49 PM Josie: He is probably in the cockpit, piloting the ship--though she will run on autopilot--when Vir clears his throat behind Coil. 10:49:16 PM Josie: Vir: Sir. How long will we be on the planet? 10:50:52 PM Coil: Hopefully not long. 10:52:19 PM Josie: Vir: There are some parts I would like to purchase. 10:52:36 PM Coil: Long enough to pick up our passengers. I'd like to make this run as short as possible. 10:52:42 PM Coil: Maybe a couple of hours? 10:53:28 PM Josie: Vir: Not enough time. However, there is nothing that could not wait until we rid ourselves of the passenger. 10:53:36 PM Josie: He frowns. 10:53:49 PM Coil: Government jobs always make me nervous. 10:54:55 PM Josie: To be fair, Vir frowns a *lot*. It's sort of his default expression. He's a young man, probably around 25 or so, with a pale complexion, large blue eyes and dark blue hair. Whether that's natural or dye is hard to say. 10:55:07 PM Josie: Vir: I too. 10:57:56 PM Josie: He hesitates, briefly, and then turns to go back to the engine room. 10:58:46 PM Coil: Coil raises an eyebrow but lets it go, settling back into his seat. 11:00:14 PM Josie: You're approaching the station at the moment. You won't have to actually land on the planet, which is good--saves on fuel. You just have to dock with the associated space station. 11:02:12 PM Josie: Then pick up the passengers, and then be on your way! 11:04:49 PM Coil: Coil sighs, watching the space station getting closer. 11:06:30 PM Josie: You dock with a thud, and the ship shakes. 11:06:46 PM Josie: The intercom crackles on; it's Vir. "I will have a look at that." 11:07:08 PM Josie: ... apparently he felt the thud was too jarring. 11:07:16 PM Coil: 'Preciate it. 11:07:52 PM Josie: Then the communications panel flares up again. This time it's a woman's voice, flat and no-nonsense. "Permission to come aboard." 11:10:52 PM Coil: Coil clicks back. "Acknowledged." Then he hits the intercom. "I'm going to retrieve our passenger, Vir. hold down the fort. " 11:11:09 PM Josie: Vir: Consider it held. 11:12:03 PM Josie: The docking mechanism leads into the hold. 11:12:19 PM Coil: Coil goes to meet his mysterious passenger! 11:12:30 PM Josie: You *could* open the door from the cockpit, but that would mean that strangers were milling around in your hold. 11:13:13 PM Josie: While there's nothing incriminating in there *that you know of*, it's best not to take chances. 11:13:54 PM Josie: It takes you a few minutes to get down there, and when you do it's still empty, just like it was before. You still don't have enough crew to take any cargo assignments, really. 11:14:51 PM Josie: The door is a heavy one, doubled up, as is standard for any airlock. 11:15:09 PM Coil: Coil opens it! 11:15:10 PM Josie: It does need to be opened from the inside. 11:16:01 PM Josie: The door slides open without a sound; and Coil finds himself face-to-face with a woman carrying a sort of double-wide briefcase, or possibly an oversized lunchbox. 11:18:21 PM Josie: She's wearing the standard dark-grey, black-edged uniform of the Coalition military, and her collar and sleeves bear the insignia of a captain. She herself has blonde hair coiled into a knot at the back of her neck, unadorned, and although she's very pretty, with blue-green eyes, she also has an aura of no-bullshit-I'm-a-professional. 11:19:28 PM Josie: Woman: Captain. Permission for five to come aboard. 11:20:52 PM Coil: Captain Lark? 11:21:46 PM Josie: She nods. "And the prisoners." 11:23:05 PM Coil: Prisoners? 11:23:25 PM Josie: Lark: My prisoners, yes. The other four passengers. 11:24:39 PM Coil: I wasn't told they were prisoners. Are they dangerous? 11:24:49 PM Josie: Lark: Only if released. 11:25:33 PM Josie: Lark: The most dangerous ones are either sedated or otherwise contained. 11:26:05 PM Coil: .... all right, come aboard. 11:27:40 PM | Edited 11:27:55 PM Coil: Coil steps aside for Lark and her Fabulous Foursome. 11:27:45 PM Josie: She nods. 11:29:44 PM Josie: She holds up a small remote-control-looking object and touches one of the buttons before stepping in. Two people follow her, both women. One is tall and standing fully erect, hands held behind her in electronic bindings, loose dark hair falling everywhere. She glares at you as she passes you. 11:30:22 PM Josie: The second woman has reddish hair, but it's hard to tell much of anything else, as she seems to be cowering a bit as she passes you by. 11:30:49 PM Coil: Coil watches them, unimpressed. 11:31:03 PM Josie: Then a gurney suspended by antigrav floats by you. It's a coffin-shaped object, probably containing the sedated prisoner. 11:31:25 PM Josie: All of them--the captain and her three prisoners--step into the hold. There's no sign of a fourth person. 11:31:41 PM Coil: I was told you had four passengers. 11:32:07 PM Josie: Lark: I do. 11:32:25 PM Coil: ... all right, then. 11:33:10 PM Josie: Lark holds up the case. "A proscribed species. We're bringing it for interrogation and scheduled destruction." 11:34:13 PM Coil: I see. Where will you be wanting to secure your ambulatory passengers? 11:35:15 PM Josie: Lark: With me. If there's no compartment big enough, we'll stay in the hold. 11:35:28 PM Josie: The redhead lets out a choked sob. 11:36:31 PM Coil: You can stay in one of the rooms. They should be big enough. 11:37:57 PM Josie: Lark: Excellent. The containment coffin can stay here in the hold; it has biometric locks on top of the ordinary safety precautions, in case you're worried about your crew. 11:39:21 PM Coil: Coil nods. "All right then. Follow me, I'll show you to your accomadations." 11:39:54 PM Josie: She nods, and secures the coffin easily. 11:40:36 PM Josie: The redhead girl is still crying; the dark-haired woman glares at her derisively; Lark mostly ignores them both, and all three women follow you. 11:41:33 PM Coil: Coil shows her to a room big enough for the three of them. 11:43:21 PM Josie: Lark: Is there anything I should know about? Emergency procedures, meal times? 11:46:02 PM Coil: At the moment, I only have one crewman, we pretty much eat when we're hungry. 11:46:38 PM Josie: Lark: ... ah, I see. 11:46:59 PM Coil: Emergency procedures... well. If we're in trouble, just do what I say, you'll be fine. 11:47:12 PM Josie: Lark: ... what if you're incapacitated? 11:47:38 PM Coil: Then listen to Vir, my engineer. 11:48:43 PM Josie: Lark, impatiently: And if you're both incapacitated? 11:50:05 PM Coil: Let's hope that doesn't happen. 11:50:17 PM Josie: Lark's mouth tightens. "I prefer not to rely upon hope." 11:50:34 PM Josie: There's a sob from the little redheaded girl, who's leaning up against a wall. 11:55:14 PM Coil: Coil gives a little smile. "Welcome to life on the fringe, Captain." 11:55:50 PM Josie: She frowns. "... quite. I shall make my own plans, then." 11:56:30 PM Coil: Do you have reason to believe that something unforseen will be happening? 11:56:57 PM Josie: Lark: Just a bad feeling, that's all. Nothing more. The one in the hold has ... friends. 11:57:26 PM Coil: I see. Well. Shall we get underway? 11:57:55 PM Josie: Lark: Quite. You'll receive your fee on arrival. 11:58:48 PM Coil: Coil nods. 11:59:08 PM | Edited 11:59:38 PM Josie: Lark sets her case down, carefully, and the redheaded girl moves over to you. "Help. Please help, I didn't do anything, I'm innocent!" She looks up at you--she has cat's eyes. 11:59:52 PM Josie: Probably a human-augment. That would explain the odd posture, too. 11:59:53 PM Coil: Coil looks at her. "Sorry, miss." 12:00:19 AM Josie: Lark: It's not a life sentence. Leave him alone or I'll sedate you again. 12:00:44 AM Josie: The redhead cringes, and backs off. "No, no need, no." 12:01:17 AM Coil: No need for that, Captain. 12:02:10 AM Josie: She slides down against a wall and curls up in a little catball. 12:02:24 AM Josie: The other prisoner looks like she'd like to give her a kick, but she doesn't. 12:02:33 AM Josie: Lark: Excellent. Good day. 12:03:34 AM Coil: Coil nods, and heads to the cockpit to set off! 12:04:24 AM Josie: You leave the room, hearing the redhead weeping piteously, and head to the cockpit! 12:05:36 AM Josie: You undock and start your trip without incident, and you don't hear from Lark at all the rest of the day. Eventually you'll have to either put the ship on autopilot and sleep, or swap with Vir, who doesn't seem to sleep much, if at all, that you've ever noticed. He's not a pilot but he's quite knowledgeable enough to keep an eye on things during a milk run like this one. 12:06:23 AM Coil: Coil will do that, trade off with Vir with orders to wake him if anything happens. 12:07:09 AM Josie: He meets you in the cockpit, carrying some sort of part with a lot of wires sticking out of it. One of his many projects, most likely. 12:07:27 AM Coil: what's that? 12:09:18 AM Josie: Vir: Part of the engine. 12:09:41 AM Josie: He starts to give you details. 12:10:19 AM Josie: Essentially, he's rigging a replacement part for another replacement part. Of course he's far, far, far more technical than that. 12:11:07 AM Coil: Coil nods. "All right. As long as the engine doesn't need it to run." 12:11:55 AM Josie: Vir: Not yet. 12:14:37 AM Coil: Good man. Listen, this captain has four prisoners on board. One of em is locked up in a coffin in the cargo bay. The others are with the captain in her room. 12:15:22 AM Josie: Vir blinks. "Prisoners? Our destination isn't near a prison." 12:15:40 AM Coil: Yeah. Hushed up goverment business. 12:15:54 AM Josie: Vir: Not our business. 12:16:30 AM Coil: Pretty much. 12:16:44 AM Josie: Vir: I will keep my eyes open. 12:18:52 AM Coil: Good man. 12:18:59 AM Coil: Coil claps him on the shoulder and heads to his quarters! 12:20:05 AM Josie: Coil almost knocks him over--he's pretty slight, though definitely masculine. 12:20:28 AM Josie: Coil heads to his quarters and sleeps! 12:21:24 AM Josie: He wakes up in the middle of the night with the feeling that something is wrong. 12:23:15 AM | Edited 12:23:20 AM Coil: Coil gets up, gets dressed, grabs his side arm, and heads to the bridge! 12:23:52 AM Josie: Vir is there, still, fiddling with the wires in that doodad. 12:24:06 AM Josie: According to the instruments, you're still on-course. 12:24:10 AM Coil: Everything okay up here? 12:24:17 AM Josie: Vir: Yes. 12:24:35 AM Coil: Hmm. All right. 12:24:58 AM Josie: Vir: Is there a problem? 12:26:07 AM Coil: No, no, it's fine. Just one of those annoying feelings. I'm going to check on our guests. 12:26:46 AM Josie: Vir: I will stay here. 12:26:58 AM Coil: Good idea. 12:27:03 AM Coil: Coil heads down to the cargo bay. 12:28:35 AM Josie: As soon as he steps in someone tries to shoot at him. 12:29:00 AM Josie: Whoever it is misses, but the beam weapon strikes the wall right next to his ear. 12:29:44 AM Coil: Coil pulls his weapon and points it at whoever shot at him. "Who's there?" 12:30:37 AM Josie: There's no answer, but a couple more shots. One singes the hair on Coil's head. 12:32:51 AM Coil: Coil frowns and takes a shot back, trying to hit an arm or leg. 12:33:33 AM Josie: There's a yelp and a thud. 12:33:40 AM Josie: Then silence. 12:34:58 AM Coil: Coil creeps forward. 12:35:32 AM Josie: There's a sort of a pained gasp for air. "Got.. him." 12:36:08 AM Coil: ((who is it? Can i tell? Male voice or female voice?)) 12:37:47 AM Josie: It's a female voice. It could be Lark, though it's hard to be certain. 12:38:02 AM Josie: Someone coughs, wetly. 12:38:30 AM Coil: Coil moves over to her, cautiously. 12:40:23 AM Josie: When you get close enough to see her--it's very dark here--you also step into a great big puddle of her blood. She's also the one that's coughing. 12:40:40 AM Josie: There's two other people lying on the ground next to her, too. 12:41:17 AM Josie: One's the dark-haired woman prisoner, and the other is a man--a very big, very tall one, lying face down. He has what looks like Lark's sidearm in one hand, and he's probably the one that was shooting you. 12:41:27 AM Josie: The woman prisoner's eyes are open and she looks quite dead. 12:42:05 AM Coil: Lark? What the hell happened here? 12:44:15 AM Josie: Lark: Escape attempt. She was programmed to... 12:44:40 AM Josie: She coughs, and spits some blood out so she can keep talking. 12:45:19 AM Josie: Lark: ... to let him out. Listen. He's dangerous. The others... don't matter. Box will die anyway. 12:45:40 AM Josie: Lark: Don't let him go. Do you hear me? 12:46:51 AM Coil: She was programmed to let the guy in the coffin out? What should I do with the box? 12:47:52 AM Josie: Lark: Let it... let it... 12:48:45 AM Josie: Her eyes go a bit blank and she settles back on the floor, dead. 12:49:20 AM Coil: Coil frowns, and clicks his comlink. "Vir. Get down here." 12:49:37 AM Josie: Vir: Yes. 12:49:56 AM Josie: You notice that the box is glowing. 12:50:02 AM Josie: It's also counting down. 12:51:11 AM Coil: Coil frowns, and looks around for the fourth prisoner. 12:52:03 AM Josie: You don't see her. 12:52:50 AM Josie: You do hear a voice coming from the box. "I realize these aren't the most favorable circumstances under which to meet someone, but good afternoon. I am hoping that you can save my life." 12:53:08 AM Coil: What's going on here, box? 12:55:35 AM Josie: Box: I'm not a box, per se. You see the countdown? We are under somewhat straitened circumstances, I am afraid. My unfortunate jailer possessed a certain substance she had to introduce into my accomodations here in order to preserve my life, and alas, the substance has been destroyed by the goon you see before you. 12:56:06 AM Josie: Box: As a result, I will shortly perish unless you see fit to release the lock on this box and let me make my own accomodation. 12:57:17 AM Coil: Captain Lark seemed to be pretty dead set on letting you die. 12:58:24 AM Josie: Box: Alas, she did indeed. You do realize that as a member of a proscribed species I am condemned to die based solely on that basis. 12:59:19 AM Coil: Why are you proscribed? 12:59:29 AM Josie: Vir turns up, finally. He seems to have found an antique blaster from somewhere. 1:00:41 AM Josie: Box: It would take rather a long to explain, time which, I am afraid, I do not possess. If you would let me out I would be greatly obliged. If you will not... I suppose I shall try to die with dignity, although that will be rather difficult to do in quarters of this kind. 1:01:04 AM Josie: Vir eyes Coil, then the prisoners, then the dead cop. "Sir." 1:01:23 AM Coil: Yeah. It's all gone horribly wrong, Vir. 1:03:17 AM Coil: Here's the problem, box. I accepted a mission from the Coalition to deliver several prisoners to a space station. I assume they would accept proof that you had died in the stead of living prisoners. So if I'm going to get in *major* trouble witht he Coalition, I need to know what will happen if I let you out. 1:04:26 AM Josie: Box: ... I will survive. If you wish to turn me in, you may do so; I will not be likely to be able to stop you. 1:04:55 AM Josie: Vir: It wants to get out? 1:05:21 AM Josie: He puts his blaster away and checks the other prisoners, passing quickly from the woman to the man. 1:05:45 AM Josie: With great difficulty, Vir shoves the man back into the empty coffin and turns it on. 1:05:45 AM Coil: Will you infect us with a pathogen? Will we grow wings because of exposure to your rays, or whatever? 1:06:12 AM Josie: Box: I do not emit rays and I am quite healthy, thank you. 1:06:24 AM Josie: Box: No one will be harmed. 1:08:55 AM Coil: ... I'm sorry, box. I can't risk the trouble the Coalition could give us if they found out I let you out. 1:09:56 AM Josie: Box: ... please. I would prefer to die outside this box, if I must. 1:10:15 AM Josie: Vir: I can scan it to see what's inside. 1:11:02 AM Coil: ((How much time does the box have?)) 1:11:06 AM Josie: He pulls out a pad and starts tapping at it. 1:11:06 AM Josie: About two minutes. 1:12:07 AM Josie: Vir: One life-form. Small, about six inches. No radiation source. 1:14:19 AM Josie: Box: I beg of you, mercy. 1:14:53 AM Coil: Coil looks at Vir. "Stay here. Don't open that." 1:15:09 AM Coil: Coil runs over to check Lark's cabin for the other prisoner. 1:15:47 AM Josie: Vir nods. 1:16:23 AM Josie: She's in the corner, cowering and muttering to herself. "Not moving. Not moving. Not my fault, not my fault. Didn't do it. Where I'm supposed to be. Not escaping." 1:16:40 AM Coil: You okay? 1:17:00 AM Josie: Woman: Fine, I'm fine. Not escaping. Not my fault. Didn't do it. 1:17:10 AM Coil: What happened? 1:17:39 AM Josie: Woman: She helped him go. She helped him go. 1:17:53 AM Josie: Woman: He shot her, but I wasn't there, I was here the whole time. 1:18:22 AM Coil: All right. Stay here. 1:19:11 AM Josie: She nods like a bobblehead doll. 1:19:34 AM Coil: Coil goes back to the cargo bay. 1:20:27 AM Josie: There's about thirty seconds left on the box. 1:20:50 AM Josie: Box: Well. I suppose this is it, then. 1:21:24 AM Coil: .... damn it. 1:21:30 AM Coil: Coil opens the box. 1:21:43 AM Josie: The box opens! 1:22:33 AM Josie: Inside is a ... well, it actually looks like a black-and-white striped slug, with bright electric-blue antennae. 1:23:02 AM Josie: The slug slimes its way out of the box, moving surprisingly quickly for its sluggy looks. 1:23:26 AM Josie: Vir eyes it; he's kneeling beside the dark-haired female prisoner. 1:23:35 AM Josie: He has his hands in her chest. 1:23:46 AM Coil: What are you doing, Vir? 1:24:19 AM Josie: Vir: Trying to determine what circuits are preventing her from consciousness. 1:24:28 AM Josie: Vir: ... she is an android. 1:24:58 AM Josie: The slug slimes over to Lark and crawls up onto the corpse. 1:26:57 AM Coil: An android? Can you make it so she doesn't kill us? 1:27:07 AM Coil: Cause that would be fantastic. 1:27:30 AM Josie: Vir: Given that her memory circuits have been destroyed, I find it unlikely that she would remember wanting to kill us. 1:27:39 AM Josie: The slug crawls into the corpse's mouth. 1:31:40 AM Coil: ((The male corpse?)) 1:31:56 AM Josie: Nope, the man is still alive, and he's in the coffin. 1:32:08 AM Josie: The only corpses are the android's, which Vir is working on, and Lark's. 1:32:23 AM Coil: ((Oh. Lark or the android?)) 1:32:27 AM Josie: Lark. 1:32:43 AM Coil: What are you doing? 1:33:16 AM Josie: There's no answer; possibly the slug can't speak. It didn't seem to have anything resembling a human mouth. 1:34:44 AM Josie: There's some icky-sounding noises from the corpse, and then Lark opens her eyes again, sitting up. "... that's better." 1:36:16 AM Coil: ... well, that's disconcerting. 1:37:10 AM Josie: Lark: Is it? My apologies. I personally found being in a box quite disconcerting. 1:37:41 AM Josie: She looks down at the gaping hole in her chest and frowns at it. 1:38:01 AM Coil: Well, you're controlling the body of a dead woman. And you'll probably start smelling before long. 1:39:00 AM Josie: Lark: Fortunately, I produce enzymes that prevent that eventuality. Of course, there will need to be some... upkeep, if I am to continue in this host. 1:39:40 AM Coil: Is this why your species is proscribed, box? 1:40:44 AM Josie: Lark: Yes. I myself have never harmed another sentient being, but there are others of us who are not so concerned with ethics. 1:41:27 AM Coil: Can you take over living hosts? 1:42:05 AM Josie: Lark: ... the idea is not an attractive one. 1:42:40 AM Coil: But you can. 1:42:42 AM Josie: She looks at her hands curiously. 1:43:02 AM Josie: Lark: No. 1:43:21 AM Josie: Lark: Possession kills a host. 1:44:19 AM Josie: Lark: That is why the idea is unattractive. Slaying sentients is never necessary. 1:44:29 AM Coil: Mmm. 1:44:43 AM Coil: Coil sits down on a cargo crate. 1:45:19 AM Josie: Lark: It is a shame this one died. She was rather interesting. 1:45:48 AM Coil: .... you can access her mind? 1:46:39 AM Josie: Lark: Yes. I arrived in time to preserve much of it and it is accessible to me. 1:46:43 AM Josie: Vir: I find you disturbing. 1:46:54 AM Coil: You and me both, Vir. 1:47:42 AM Josie: Lark: Understandable. Personally, I find your habit of walking around naked disturbing. I suppose you do have clothing, but without a host... one would feel quite naked. 1:48:13 AM Coil: Coil rubs his eyes. 1:50:18 AM Josie: http://yhoo.it/11aJ1Mc , by the way. 1:51:16 AM Josie: Lark, sadly: She was very dedicated to her cause. Of course, that did require committing genocide, but I suppose we *are* a threat to your species, technically. 1:53:31 AM Josie: Vir: How often do you need to change hosts? 1:53:49 AM Josie: Lark, surprised: Why, never, if one takes proper care of them.